Sketching Korea

When I arrived in Korea as an exchange student at the Korea National University of Arts in 2009, I was visually overwhelmed by my surroundings. I became inspired by the colors, the traditional architecture, the written language, the mountains, the street markets, and the people that I interacted with on a daily basis. In addition to my large-scale visual art projects, I occasionally drew and collaged in my 5″ x 8.25″ Moleskin sketchbook, documenting my transition into a new culture.

I came across these sketches today as I was transferring my fine arts portfolio onto this site from my old, expired website. These images of Korea have become second nature to me, and it’s interesting to see how my perceptions have changed and how naively I initially expressed myself. It’s like seeing Korea with fresh eyes again, merely skimming the surface of this complex country.